TRONDHEIM (VG) central party leadership prevented electricity riots at national meeting, but failed on question of electrification of Melkoya. There, the National Assembly voted no to Equinor.
Eleven of the 16 district committees have submitted several proposals for changes in energy policy ahead of the Center Party’s national convention. They made several concrete demands to continue the fight against the EU and to cut off prices in Norway from the European market.
Resolution The opinion proposed by the editorial group in the party is very mild – it clearly says no to the EU’s fourth energy market package, but does not support any specific requirements on how the government should put pressure on the EU.
But the National Assembly supported the leadership in most cases.
The electrification of Melgoya was the only major issue that the electricity rebels won. There, the National Assembly moved to reject Equinor’s application for electrification.
– He sets the tent on fire
SP senior leader Per Olaf Lundteigen says he is disappointed that the announced electricity riots have been quelled, but is very happy that the party has said no to Melkoya’s electrification.
– I expect that decision to set the tent on fire in the Labor Party. I am sure App will follow SP on this issue, he says.
He now expects the government to follow suit:
– Northern Norway cannot cope with this. Fish processing is a business that requires electricity, not mint. One cannot use their diversionary potential by using the full power potential in Melgoya.
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– Understand that there is a lot of anxiety
Marit Arnstad, SP’s parliamentary leader, previously told VG that she believes the government should look at the electrification of Melkoya again after the Fossen controversy. He has also previously been open about pushing for Norway’s climate targets.
– So much skepticism arises because people fear that the industry in Finland will not get enough electricity or that the price of electricity will rise sharply. “I encourage the players to sit down and think about how they can achieve it intelligently,” he says after the conclusion.
He is satisfied with the power resolution concluded by the National Assembly. His message before the national assembly was that he was ready to press the EU on specific projects, but was waiting for answers from a committee set up by the government to investigate how solutions work.
– Overall, I think it’s very balanced, and the National Assembly gives some credit to the work the party is trying to do as it takes steps to achieve national control.
– Open question
Ola Borten Moe, chairman of the resolution committee and SP vice-president, won all major battles for power except the Melkoya issue:
– The National Assembly of the Center Party has decided not to electrify Melakaya until infrastructure development up to Hammerfest has demonstrated practicality of harvesting new energy resources and feeding them into the grid. Whether it can be done is an open question. I don’t know that, Borden Moe tells VG after the vote.
– Do you expect Govt to follow this and gain traction for SP?
– When these issues go before the government we have to return to the usual way, he says.
Rødt’s Sofie Marhaug followed the power debate and decision digitally. She believes Sp surprisingly takes a defensive line on the electricity issue, but Melkoya is proud of the decision.
– This is a great success and something the government should take note of, she writes an SMS to VG.
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